Italians are not big on breakfast. Traditionally, we mainly have 2 kinds of breakfast and both of them are quite light (compared to the traditional full American breakfast with bacon and eggs): the one we have outside (al bar – at a café) and the one we have at home. At a café we usually…

I really love to bake cookies, especially this time of year. Yes, I know it’s hot in Australia and we do not get all the White Christmas vibes people in the Northern Hemisphere get right now, but I can still switch my oven own thanks to my air-con! So, I don’t give up baking cookies!…

Happy Diwali! Sunday will mark the beginning of Diwali (दिवाली), the “festival of lights”, a 5-day Indian festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Light is the symbol of the celebrations and many clay lamps filled with oil are lit during the 5 days of the festival. As part…

My husband and kids love white chocolate, so the other day, I made these White Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies. They were a big hit and got over in no time! In fact, I have already been requested another batch as soon as possible! Like many of my recipes, this recipe was originally created as a way…

I must admit that we never ate many sweets in my home. My mum is a fantastic cook, but she never really liked baking. One of the exceptions was her Crostata di Mele (click here for the recipe), which till today is still my favourite cake. There is nothing better than biting into sweet crumbly…

Today I will share with you the recipe for Sweet Taralli. Taralli are traditional cookies from the South of Italy, especially Apulia. They can be sweet, like in this case, or savoury (check out my recipe for savoury Taralli here). Their texture is similar to pretzels and the sweet version is still not very sweet…

Today I am teaming up with Jomei’s Fine Foods for a very special recipe I developed to showcase their newest product: their Organic Sweet Balsamic Reduction. The moment I tasted it, I knew I wanted to make something sweet with it, but I wanted to go beyond the usual pairing of balsamic vinegar and strawberries. You…

If you follow Manu’s Menu, you will know how much I love blue cheese. It is my absolute favourite cheese! I love how pungent it is and I use it a lot in my cooking. I made these Walnut Roquefort Sables for Christmas and even my husband, who on the contrary is not a fan…

Today, Indians celebrate Holi, the festival of spring, also known as the festival of colours. Holi represents the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring, but for many people it’s also an opportunity to make peace and start afresh. During this time, people play tricks and colour each other with dry powder…

I am very excited about today’s recipe! You may remember that, a few months ago, I shared the recipe for the classic Chocolate Salami. That’s the recipe I grew up eating and it will always have a special place in my heart. However, after publishing it, I got many requests for an eggless version. As…

“I thought I’d start this blog by posting the recipe of my all time favourite cookies. Their name means “lady’s kisses” because their shape resembles a kiss. They are originally from Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy.” These were the very first lines I wrote on Manu’s Menu, 5 years ago! The first recipe…

Shortbread cookies have always been my favourites. I love the fact that they are buttery and not overly sweet and I also like experimenting with different shapes and flavours. This time I gave my shortbread an Indian twist. We love Chai at our place and we always have some during the colder months of the…

I am very happy to share with you the recipe for what is possibly my favourite cookie ever: Amaretti. These cookies have a very ancient history, as they were first made in Italy during the Middle Ages. There are many different recipes and each region of Italy has its own version, but there are 2…

It is time again for the “Secret recipe club” reveal! I am sure you all know what the club is about, but for the few of you who still don’t know about it, here goes a brief explanation. It is a great concept… each month you are assigned a participating food blogger to make a…